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Raisie Bay

holiday

Our Holiday at Rockley Park in Dorset

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This year we managed to get away to the holiday we had booked for last year, I was grateful to the Haven holiday park for holding it for us. We have been to Dorset before but this was a new Haven park for us, Rockley Park is in Poole, and we went to Weymouth before.

Rockley Park

I always choose our holiday parks carefully. We don’t have a wheelchair accessible caravan because they are too small for us, they only have two bedrooms and we need three. But I can walk a little anyway, so with a little help up the steps and I’m fine. Plus the caravans are small enough for me to get around easily, it’s wide spaces I have problems with. So long as I’m near a wall I’m good. In fact, I didn’t even use my sticks while there.

I like a park with beach access and sea views and looking at the site it seemed that Rockley Park had these and everything else. Plus it was a fairly small park so we wouldn’t need to use the car to get around onsite. What I hadn’t realised was that the beach was by a pool, not the sea. So they were not sea views. I’d been excited that I’d be able to get my wheelchair right up to the beach as there was a boardwalk and cafe. But I really thought I’d be looking out at the sea, not a pool. It was certainly not a bad view, just not what I had expected.

Here’s some photos from the park.

Rockley Park holiday camp collage, top right, sunset, top left field looking over lake, bottom right, lake, bottom left beach and lake.

Poole

Poole is a harbour rather than a seaside town (should have done more research Anne!) We found out when we went to do some food shopping in the nearest town. The Satnav wouldn’t work for some reason so we ended up just following traffic and boy, there was some traffic. We soon found out it was due to road works. See on this map, the little bit of red road I’ve circled…it completely cut off the shortest route into Pool and anywhere else, so we had to go back on ourselves first. all the way up to the A35. It was so frustrating, because we could come back the short route (roadworks were on one side) and it took 30 minutes less.

map of Poole and Rockley Park

When we were on our way home, the roadworks had moved…typical. We didn’t leave the park every day though, and one of our trips took us the other direction to Corfe Castle.

Corfe Castle

We decided not to visit the castle because of accessibility issues, but it was mostly ruins anyway. We did, however, spend a day there in the gorgeous surrounding village and went to see the Model Village which was lovely. The kids really enjoyed it there, the girls spent ages in the teepee. I couldn’t access all of the village (I had to miss the fairy gardens) but I still enjoyed it there, and we were blessed with some lovely sunny weather too.

Here are a few of the (Very) many photos I took of our visit.

Corfe Castle Model Village, top left model owl in a tree, top right, model houses, bottom left a teepee in the bushes, bottom right a model watermill

Bournemouth

The nearest seaside town was Bournemouth which had everything you expect from a British seaside town. We avoided the more crowded areas but still found a spot on the beach. The girls sat and chatted while messing with the sand, while Graham and the Little Man went for a paddle in the sea. We had chips from the chip shop and ice cream from the ice cream stand. Graham, Little Man and Boo went on the Ferris Wheel while I browsed a quiet gift shop with Star. We decided against the pier, the kids seemed disinterested. They are not really fairground lovers.

We went back a second day to visit the Oceanarium (Bournemouth’s equivalent of a Sea Life Centre.) The Little Man fell in love with an axolotl and now he wants one as a pet. He’s decided he wants to decorate his bedroom like an ocean! The girls, like typical teens, wandered off on their own then got into a sulk because they wanted to go back to the caravan because they were ‘tired.’ I persuaded them to play a game of crazy golf first though and that brought them back to life a little. I wasn’t able to access the course but there was a viewing stand all the way around for me to follow them.

Both days in Bournemouth we had lovely sunny weather, but both days it rained on the way back to the caravan!

Bournemouth collage. Top right, Little Man on the beach, top left, Boo on the beach, bottom left, view of pier and sea and bright blue skies, bottom left, the family playing crazy golf from my bird's eye view.

Chilling

We had decided that we wanted this to be a relaxed holiday so we didn’t sign up for any of the activities. We booked a couple of meals in the restaurant which was nice. We also had a couple of take outs and I was surprised that they were really good value for money. I think we only cooked a couple of meals in the caravan, although we did have breakfast there every day. A couple of days we did not much at all which was nice, we also had a balcony on the caravan so we could sit outside.

We went to the arcade a few times, but only the one on the park. It was never very busy which was good. We also had a night out at the club. In the past this hasn’t been too successful, the kid’s would get bored, I would feel uncomfortable because my wheelchair takes up so much room and I can’t get around, and Graham can’t drink because he has to drive us. But this night was really good. The club was in walking distance so alcohol was allowed…although I try not to drive my wheelchair when drunk so I only had a couple 😉 The Girls sat on a table by themselves and chatted and had fun. They even went and ordered themselves a pizza with their own money. The Little Man felt a bit left out but he enjoyed the singer on stage and knew a lot of the songs so he was singing along. Then they did some party dances and he jumped up to join in. He loved it! I felt comfortable because numbers were restricted so I had plenty of room. The only disappointment was the disabled toilet. It was doubled up as a baby changing area which is usually ok, but they had a proper table rather than a pull down one and three bins for nappies and wipes etc. I could just about get my wheelchair in and couldn’t turn around. That meant I had to come out backwards, but the door was too heavy to push so I was stuck. I managed to unlock the door and was just in the process of phoning for help when someone opened the door. They immediately apologised but I called out to them to hold it open for me. I was just happy to escape.

Round Up

We had a really lovely week and it was so nice to get away. The weather was nice one minute and raining the next but we seemed to time everything right (I did have a weather app on my phone which seemed to be pretty accurate.) I think the highlight of the week was the lovely model village and Corfe Castle, the area was gorgeous and the sun really warm that day. But you can’t beat eating chips or ice cream by the sea side. I love sitting on the promenade watching out over the horizon.

I felt pretty good all week. I was up early with the Little Man and we had breakfast and watched the Olympics while waiting for the others to get up. It was nice not to have to worry about shopping and housework and even cooking for a week. (In fact the only day I did feel too much pain was when I cooked us all lunch. I think I might have to give up cooking! )

I was comfortable in my wheelchair and even though the rules around Covid have relaxed we practiced social distancing and kept our masks on indoors. This was our choice and we respected others but on the campsite most people were doing the same anyway. It was lovely to spend so much time outside though. I really must make an effort to get out more before the weather gets too bad.

Now, I’m thinking about where we can go next year! Graham wants to go back to Devon Cliffs which has always been a favourite of ours.

Have you ever been to Rockley Park or any Haven holiday camp?

Country Kids linky

Five Little Ways to Feel Good

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The COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage, but the ‘stay at home’ rule in England has recently been lifted, meaning the official lockdown has ended, and people can start to leave the house more frequently. This should be a boost to the country’s collective mood, as things seem to be improving – but there are still difficult times ahead. It’s important to find ways to feel good and to improve your mood wherever you can. Here are five small things you can do to keep positive in these difficult times.

1. Get Moving

Exercising every day could have a huge impact on your mood. If you exercise strenuously enough to raise your heart rate, your body will release endorphins – happy hormones – that reduce stress levels and make you feel good. 

Find a type of exercise you enjoy and do it regularly. It might be something as simple as lifting small weights, or doing some seated yoga while dinner is in the oven. 

Adding a social element is another way to make yourself feel good, so meet up with friends when it’s safe to do so and do some exercise together.

exercise to feel good

2. Relax!

Exercising is all well and good, but it’s also super important to find time to relax and put your feet up. Life can be busy and stressful, so carve out some time for yourself every week in which you can just do nothing.

It’s not always easy to relax with so much going on, so you might need some extra help. Some people love doing yoga or meditating to help them relax, while others swear by CBD oil. You can buy CBD products at vapecbdworld.com if you want to try them out. See what works for you and find a way to wind down.

3. Phone a Friend

Chatting with loved ones is a great way to boost your mood. By now, a lot of people are sick of Zoom and video chats, so remember, there’s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned phone call!

Phoning a friend or family member who has been shielding is a great way to show you’re there for them. Don’t worry if you don’t have much to say; even a quick five-minute hello will cheer someone else up, and this will make you feel good too.

4. Have Some Fun

A lot of people are feeling the need to be productive all the time at the moment, but it’s impossible to be forward-thinking all the time. A great way to make yourself feel good is to make an effort to have some fun. 

Find any way you can to have fun at home – that might mean digging out some board games to play with the family, playing video games, or listening to podcasts.

Do something you enjoy and make the most of your time at home!

5. Plan Ahead

The restrictions we’re all facing won’t last forever, even if it feels like that sometimes. Use this time to make some plans for the future. 

Book a ‘staycation’ somewhere in the UK for the summertime, so you have something to look forward to. This will get you through the moments when you feel low.

It’s more important than ever to look after your mental health and find ways to cheer yourself up. Find out what works for you and keep your spirits up!

the beach

This is a collaborative post you can read my Disclosure Policy here.

Travelling holidays in the UK

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We are not big fans of travelling but love the UK for holidays and were so sad that we couldn’t go away this year thanks to the COVID virus. Our holiday in Dorset was booked just after the lock down ended and we could have still gone, but it felt a little too scary so soon. Plus a lot of the facilities were still not open. We re-arranged our holiday for next year, so fingers crossed we’ll be able to go then.

This got me thinking on how we have a different kind of holiday. We avoid hotels because with three children we have to book two rooms. Plus it feels to impersonal sharing a building with others. We generally go for caravan holidays and admittedly we spend a lot of time in the caravan, especially if it comes with a lovely view.

What I would really love is a motorhome so we could travel wherever we wished. Buying one is out of our budget though, and we would have nowhere to store it while not on holiday so we’d definitely consider Freedhome Motorhome Hire. But where would we go. Here are a few places I’d like to visit.

Places I’d go Travelling to in a Motor Home

England

Dorset is one of my favourite places to visit. You have the stunning Jurassic coastline and so many lovely beaches. If you are lucky you can find somewhere really quiet. You can see some of the places we visited in Dorset a few years ago, including West Bay where they filmed most of Broadchurch. (TV Drama.)

jurassic coastline in Dorset, taken in Charmouth. Image shows cloudy sky, cliffs and the sea

Cornwall. A little further south you have gorgeous Cornwall, which has many places to stay in a motor home. You can go surfing at the wonderful Newquay, visit the Eden Project, or travel to the most south westernly point of the UK, Lands End.

Norfolk. Go East and visit a beatuful area with an incredible coastline and the fabulous Norfolk Broads. There are several places to stay in a motor home and plenty to see and do in Norfolk. Don’t forget to smell the Norfolk lavender.

The New Forest is in Hampshire and is a haven of wildlife, pleace and tranquility. It’s easy accessible but you’ll have to move out of the forest to stay overnight in nearby places like Brockenhurst.

Wales

I love Wales, but my husband was not so convinced until we took a trip through the amazing Elan Valley last year (seems like a lifetime ago.) It was so beautiful and peaceful. The roads can get pretty high but they are wide and safe enough for a motor home.

Pembrokeshire is just one part of Wales that is really worth a visit, it is has everything you need from beaches, nature and outdoor adventures. The coastline is stunning, and you can also visit the castle town of Tenby or family favourite holiday destination of Newport.

Snowdonia is another place in Wales I’d love to visit. Whether you feel like a little mountain climbing or just a beautiful view. Plus there are some amazing camp sites

Scotland

Head North to the beauty of Scotland and enjoy the open roads and fantastic motorhome routes. There are some fabulous places to visit like Loch Ness, where you may even see a monster, or maybe Inverness Castle is more your style. Or head to John O Groats right at the top of the UK. You many even be able to see the Northern lights from here.

The route from Glencoe to Fort William is one of Scotland’s essential road trips and a great places to go when you are touring Scotland in a motorhome.

Spend some time parked by Glencoe’s awe-inspiring mountains if you really want to feel some peace.

Where Would You Go on a Travelling Holiday?

I’ve touched on just a few places in the UK here, you could even go to the Peak District or the Lake district. When you have your home on wheels then the country is yours to explore. Let me know where you would visit, I’d love to know. (My cruise may be exchanged for a motor home holiday instead!)

Scotland

This is a collaborative post

Covid Diaries Day 76 The Future

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I’ve changed the title from Isolation Diaries to Covid diaries. As of this moment we are still in Isolation and haven’t been out, but the rules are relaxing and we are now one of the few. Things will be changing for us soon too. I don’t know if the kids will be going back to school before Summer, but it’s still a wait and see situation.

It seems for us that everything is a wait and see situation. Thanks Covid!

Lock down Broken

So, the Prime Minister’s advisor broke lock down but apparently he didn’t. But the people say he did, the PM says he didn’t. The people say, it’s there in black and white, the PM says he didn’t. The people say it’s not fair, the police need to do something. The Police say, he would have been warned if we caught him but he’s not being prosecuted. What a shambles. The people are angry so the PM comes up with a new plan. He refuses to talk about his advisor any more and lets everybody have their freedom back.

So, from Monday you are allowed out to meet other people. The rules are clear (haha) as always. You can meet with up to six people from another family. So six teenagers from different families are welcome to gather on the street corner. But, if you have four kids in your family, and two parents then you cannot meet up with the grandparents together. One parent can take three kids and meet up with both grandparents, or one parent can take four kids and meet up with one grandparent. It all makes sense doesn’t it? Doesn’t it? Clear as mud.

You can meet these other people outside in the fresh air. Don’t go to their house, unless you go in the garden. But then you can’t use their toilet, unless you really need to go, then it’s ok so long as you wash your hands. You can have a BBQ together and pass food around. So long as you wash your hands. But it’s best if you just meet in the park because you MUST still stay 2 metres apart…stretch those arms while passing that hot dog or burger! And don’t hug or kiss, no, not even the grandkids. Do you know why? Why you have to follow these rules? BECAUSE COVID IS STILL OUT THERE! We haven’t beaten this virus, it hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s just not spread so much because we have been staying home. (Well, some of us.)

If it all goes wrong then it’s our fault for not following the clear and precise rules and many more will die…you know…just in case the death toll of (currently) 37,837 is not enough.

Contact Tracing and Covid

Covid isn’t going anywhere and contact tracing is the best way of controlling outbreaks. So if you are sick you call 119 or go to the website. Get a test, get the results, and as soon as possible let them know who you’ve been in contact with so that they can tell them to isolate just in case. It’s brilliant. But in my opinion (disclaimer, it’s just my opinion) it’s not going to work.

Here are my reasons for contact tracing not working:

  • It’s a simple system but way too complicated
  • The phone lines are already having problems on day one
  • It relies on the British public to inform of illness, get tested then tell of all their contacts.
  • It relies on people listening to the warnings that they have been in contact with someone and then isolating
  • It relies on common sense
  • It relies on things like computers and phones and people working properly
  • It relies on people doing as they are told
  • It relies on people honestly believing that it’s for their own good and not some elaborate government plan to control the population.
  • It relies on trust and honesty

I’m not even going to mention the app. because what’s the point. No-one is going to download and use it.

Holiday

Oh how I long for the beach, to feel the sand beneath my toes and the cold water of the sea wash over my feet and dissolve my woes.

Only joking! I haven’t been able to walk on the beach properly for over four years anyway, and the last two times I did manage to get my feet in the cold water I went into spasm.

I do love the seaside though and watching the kids play. We have a holiday booked in August in Weymouth. A caravan holiday with a beach nearby, and a big entertainment complex and pool. We love our holidays and this year was important to me because Star is getting older. When my older kids were a year older than her they started going away with friends or their Dad. I don’t think Star will be ready by next year, but then I never imagined my older kids would be either. I was looking forward to this years holiday.

The campsite is making adjustments. The caravans are great for keeping away from other people. The beach is fairly quiet (There is a much busier one nearby if you don’t mind more people) I am guessing they will limit their guests and close their clubs. (the club houses are generally packed to the hilt and we avoid them mostly anyway because they are not good for wheelchairs.) The kids love the amusement arcade, but again, it’s always rammed with people. And the pool will be a no go area too. The shop will be open with social distancing. We can still go but it won’t be the same. Honestly, I think we could be happy spending the whole week in the caravan with a view of the sea and the sea air. We could miss out on the arcades and pool, and eating out (although we love eating out on holiday.) We could still get take outs and have a BBQ next to the caravan. If the beach is quiet the kids can still go and play.

I’m faced with a difficult decision, but I have a month to make it. I’ve been told it will be July 29th week that I will be contacted and asked if I still want to go. As much as I want to, I’m scared.

What we’ve been up to during our Covid lock down

It’s been 10 days since my last update so I’ll fill you in with our week and a half of excitement.

We had another BBQ. The weather has been so warm and sunny and eating out in the garden is so much nicer than sweating away in the kitchen.

Graham cut the grass again. My Willow tree is growing and so is my lavender. I just need my roses to grow now, we have buds. Graham has moved the post so I can see them from the window.

The new garden furniture has not yet arrived…watch the weather change when it does!

I’ve almost finished crocheting the back of my new cardigan and I’ve read three books (or rather listened to them) you can read my reviews on my other blog if you wish.

my crochet done during covid lock down
My Crochet cardigan

I’ve been busy working, it’s strange but while I was trying to home school the kids I was inundated with work, but it dried up at half term. Thankfully, I still had plenty to get on with.

We played a new game, Sproutword and you can see my review here. Go take a look it’s great fun.

Sproutword
The game Sproutword

I can see you yawning now. I am too. So I’ll catch up with you soon. In the meantime here’s my Covid link up thingy if you want to add a post or two.

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My Word of the Week #33 2019 – Holiday

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Hello and welcome to the home of Word of the Week, a nice and simple weekly linky, with everyone welcome to pop by and share. The idea of the linky is to reflect back on your past week and share it with us. It’s great if you can sum it up in a word or phrase, hence giving us your Word of the Week. My word this week is holiday and you can read more about that below.

I’m not totally strict on using just a word or phrase but please try to stick to the theme of summing up your week.

There are not too many rules with this linky, just remember to read at least another couple of posts in the link up after adding your link. I will read and comment on all posts and tweet them out for you. I also have a Pinterest board devoted to Word of the Week and I will add posts to Mix Please add the badge below to your post so that others may find us and join in. If you comment or tweet then please use the hashtag #WotW

Word of the Week is open from 6am on Friday Morning to 12 noon on Monday. Plenty of time to join in!

If you are unfamiliar with the Word of the Week linky then please feel free to ask any questions. New linkers are always welcome, we love to hear what you have been up to in the past week.

MY WORD OF THE WEEK.

Holiday

a big sun in a blue sky
Holiday

I’m away this week, hopefully enjoying some sunshine in Cornwall. I’ll write up all about it when I get home, but in the meantime, do link up your posts and I’ll read and share them when I can.

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